WASHINGTON – Today, the Accountable Senate War Room released the following statement regarding Senator Steve Daines’ (R-MT) announcement to put a hold on Congresswoman Haaland’s nomination as Interior secretary. Haaland has already earned the support of Republican senators like Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, meaning Daines’ hold will delay, but not stop, Haaland’s confirmation.

“The American people saw through Senator Daines’ attacks on Congresswoman Haaland during the confirmation process and even some of his own Republican colleagues aren’t buying his baseless smears,” said Mairead Lynn, spokesperson for the Accountable Senate War Room. “Congresswoman Haaland is highly qualified and will become the next Interior secretary, and this delay is just a big show for Daines’ oil and gas donors to prove he’s still on their side — even though he’s already lost the fight.”

From the outset, Daines opposed Haaland’s nomination because he believedshe would be bad for the oil, gas, and coal industries. Daines has taken more than $1.1 million from Big Oil over the course of his career. His attacks calling her “radical” were deemed a racist, sexist “dog whistle” by the Billings GazetteEditorial Board. 

This post was originally published on Radio Free.